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Friday, April 28, 2017

What will the Seahawks do on Day Two of the NFL Draft?

by Adam Householder, Scouting & Draft Analyst, SeahawksFTW.com

Day Two Preview

The primetime event of the NFL Draft’s first round has come and gone, and it should be no surprise that Seahawks General Manager John Schneider did what he does best by trading out of the first round for the fourth time in the last five years. Schneider continued to add draft capital by adding a significant haul for essentially moving back from 26th overall to 34th overall. By making this move, Schneider added an additional 3rd round and 7th round picks from Atlanta, and an additional 4th round pick from Chicago via San Francisco after 49ers GM John Lynch moved back up into the first round to draft LB Reuben Foster.

This leaves Seattle with five draft picks between draft picks 90-111 overall. “That’s what was great, we didn’t feel like we lost a player to make the moves. That kept us incentivized.” Pete Carroll said of their comfort with trading back in the first round, and then completely out of it after receiving a late offer from San Francisco.

Rumors throughout league insiders is that this draft class contained a few elite prospects that separated themselves from the next shelf of players, but that the next talent level contained rare depth. More rumors have circulated today saying that the Seahawks only had a few of players they were willing to invest drafting a first round pick on, and that one of those players was QB Patrick Mahomes II. Which would have been a classic John Schneider pick. My hunch is that another one of those players would have been the player that was drafted right ahead of them by the Cleveland Browns at 25th overall - Jabrill Peppers.

Schneider’s comfort with moving back means that Seattle has a group of players they consider equivalent in their projected value. And now with the Seahawks holding six draft picks in day two, that suggests to me that Seattle may be busy again in day two, and may use some of that capital to move back up into the second round for a third selection.

Three picks in the second round… Let’s start dreaming up scenarios…

My belief is that the Seahawks may have a few guys they’ve fallen in love with, like they have in year’s past with Tyler Lockett, Russell Wilson, and Earl Thomas. But most of the players on their board likely fit a profile of what they’re looking for at a certain position.

The Seahawks will add one offensive lineman with significant potential, if that…

Cam Robinson and Forrest Lamp are possibilities early in the second, as are Isaac Asiata and Zach Banner, but I have them more likely to go in the third. If one of those four names are not called by the Seahawks, then we may see Schneider neglect the position group until the late mid rounds. If that’s the case, then that would be a major vote of confidence into Tom Cable and last year’s additions – Ifedi, Odhiambo, and Fant, along with the addition of former second overall pick Luke Joeckel (who I really like on a one year deal). This group could be undervalued by the public, which may be something silently working in Schneider’s favor as other team’s attempt to project players as targets of the Seattle Seahawks. – Forrest Lamp, Cam Robinson, Isaac Asiata, Zach Banner

Secondary help is going to be part of this draft group by the Seahawks. We could see a long lean body type to man the outside corner, an inside nickel-type, a play making safety type, or a player providing multiple desired traits. This group is deep. Seattle has had pre-draft contacts with UW’s Budda Baker, Kevin King, and the best of the three, recently injured Sidney Jones. While I considered King overvalued heading into the draft, I do see incredible value of any of these players in the second or early third rounds. Another PAC-12 secondary I see the Seahawks having interest in is the trio out of Colorado. Chidobe Awuzie gets the most hype, but I’m a huge fan of both Ahkello Witherspoon and Tedric Thompson. In the later rounds, the players I think Seattle will show interest in are Clemson CB Cordrea Tankersley, New Hampshire Safety Casey DeAndrade, and Louisville Safety Josh Harvey-Clemons - who reminds me so much of Brandon Browner that it feels too likely to happen. Tankersley, DeAndrade, and Harvey-Clemons would likely be day three targets. – Sidney Jones, Budda Baker, Kevin King, Ahkello Witherspoon, Chidobe Awuzie, Tedric Thompson, Casey DeAndrade

Last year, Seattle looked into troubled DE/DT Robert Nkemdiche, who they elected to pass on when he was still available and Seattle was on the clock. That type of player also exists this year, and his name is Malik McDowell out of Michigan State. McDowell has been rumored as a top five talent, like Nkemdiche last year, but is devalued due to personality/character concerns. The guy I love for this role is Michigan DE/DT Chris Wormley. If I had my pick between the two, I’d go with Wormley. – Chris Wormley, Malik McDowell

Run stuffing prospects Seattle will likely have interest in for the interior of the defensive line are Colorado DT Josh Tupou and Alabama DT Dalvin Tomlinson, with Tomlinson likely going much earlier than Tupou. – Dalvin Tomlinson, Josh Tupou.

Finally, the pass rushers. FSU’s DeMarcus Walker has been a popular choice through many mock drafts found online, and I don’t think that’s inaccurate. My top player for the vacancy at SAM linebacker for the Seahawks was TJ Watt, but I also really like OLB/DE Tim Williams out of Alabama. – Tim Williams, DeMarcus Walker

But most of all, out of all the players still on the draft board, my favorite player for the Seahawks is UConn Safety Obi Melifonwu.

Other players I think Seattle really likes, but may not be an immediate position of need, are TE Antony Auclair, and QB Davis Webb out of Cal.